戸川京子 - B.G.

戸川京子 is perhaps best known now as being the younger sister of 戸川純 (a.k.a. god). unlike her sister, the music she performed was much more idol and much less avant-garde. all the same, there is quite a bit of experimentation on this album. a particularly favorite track for me would have to be the second track, "Hawaiiに行きたい". it begins as a very melancholic sounding ballad, but after about a minute into the song there is a very sudden transformation into this very tropical (hawaiian, to be precise) sounding piece of music. the hawaiian bit is absolutely giddy in it's sheer joy and innocence, but soon it's cut off and the ballad returns . . . only to transform back into the lei adorned ode to the popular japanese vacation spot yet again. the effect is very jarring, as your mood as a listener of this song is constantly being assaulted by these abrupt change in atmosphere and feeling. it's fantastic, of course. it's actually become one of my all time favorite songs from the genre.

ANYWAYS ON TO THE REST OF THE ALBUM. it's consistently awesome. it frustrates me ever so much that her sister, jun, shall always overshadow her. of course, jun is superior (but then, jun is superior to most musicians, no matter the genre), but that's beside the point; kyoko had plenty of talent. her willingness to be playful and weird: on the fourth track, "責任とってよ", she and a male vocalist "rap". it kinda reminds me of 塊魂's soundtrack . . . if 塊魂's soundtrack had been recorded in the 80s. oh yeah, while i'm still on this track, i think her sister can be heard shouting the chorus at about the half-way mark . . . speaking of jun, the one time on this album where kyoko really reminds me of her sister is on the track "悲しみはリアルすぎて…". she sings in a crooning, seductive sort of way (think of the way jun sings in YAPOOS' classic "Barbara Sexaroid").

over all, the album is absolutely stunningly fun to listen to. it's joyous and giddy and silly. there are few albums that cheer me up when i'm feeling the blues (which is surprisingly rare for someone who primarily blogs about post-punk and "introspective idol-pop"). this is all very bitter sweet, of course, because on a hot summer day in july of 2002 she committed suicide. this shouldn't come as a surprise to longtime fans of togawa jun; jun herself has attempted to end her life at least once (supposedly she has visible scars from said attempts).


1. 恋のエアシューター
2. Hawaiiに行きたい
3. 25ans~ヴァンサンカン~
4. 責任とってよ
5. ランチタイムラバー
6. ワンルームの鍵
7. 悲しみはリアルすぎて…
8. 未成年


ENJOY